The Portugal International Film Festival will have its first edition in 2017 and aims to promote the Portuguese and World Cinema. Held in the city of Porto, the Festival will award the best films with a certificate and crystal trophy.

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Matthew Toffolo:What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

José Claudio Silva: This is the first year of PORTUGAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, we would like to be a window for
filmmakers showcase their work in Europe. In the next year we´re planning a partnership with a Portuguese Tv Channel to play the winners.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

A great network with other filmmakers, nice awards (cristal Trophy and certificate of award), Interview with filmmakers, photos and videos for the website.

What are the qualifications for the selected films?

The most important thing I think is the story, sometimes we see a film made with a great camera, a full team and the story means nothing. In the other hand we had some great student films
that makes me imagine that could be a blockbuster if they have budget.

Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

My experience as filmmaker, I realized that some film festivals prefer some genre of films, the most of them gives the awards for drama style. I think that comedy and action films have less chance in festivals.

I don´t know if they ask to the jury to give more attention to drama genre or is a coincidence.

On my festivals, all genres has the same evaluation by the jury.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

As a filmmaker, I think that is an important window to show your work. When I was a film student I tried to screen my film on a theater and it was so expensive that´s why I get all students together and we rent a theater and I made my first film festival.

How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

FilmFreeway is a great place to submit your work. The always create new tools to improve our Festival experience.

Where do you see the festival by 2020?

I hope that in 2020 we can have more technology to make
better Festivals. Theaters with better screen and projectors, maybe a 4D presentation with virtual reality glasses.

What film have you seen the most times in your life?

The Shawshank Redemption is one of the most beautiful films that I ever seen.

I think that I saw it 5 times.

In one sentence, what makes a great film?

The story is what catch the audience. The technical aspects is important but the story is the heart of a film.

How is the film scene in your city?

The city of Porto is a touristic city, they have few film festivals. We want to make Portugal a hot place for film festivals and increase the Portuguese film production.

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.